The present invention relates to a device for handling a patient, such as moving the patient from one location to another in a hoist, said device comprising top mounting means for suspending the hoist from suspension means, and frame means for supporting the patient.
A hoist for handling a patient, such as moving the person from one location to another is known from WO 97/30675. These hoists are used for moving the person from one location to another by lifting the person up and moving the person along a predetermined track in the ceiling or the like. Other examples of such kinds of hoists are known from e.g. WO 95/16825, DE 42 33 328 C1 and FR-A-2 403 074.
A different type of hoist is known from e.g. WO 95/18592, where the patient is suspended from a lifting lever in a sling. The lever is moveable in a vertical direction and arranged on a chassis provided with wheels, so that the hoist can be used for moving the patient from one location to another. Moreover, this kind of hoist can be used for raising a patient from a sifting to a standing position and vice versa. This makes the hoist suitable for lifting a patient up from a wheel chair, a bed or the like. However, this kind of hoist is limited in use, due to the space is takes up around the point of use.
A device for use in an invalid hoist suspended from the ceiling or the like is limited to movements along a predetermined track. However, such tracks are mounted in accordance with the interior decoration and arrangement of the facilities where the hoist is to be used. Suspended hoists are easy to operate for the personnel. Another advantage is that no internal energy source is needed as is the case with the chassis type hoist.
A drawback of the suspended hoists known in the prior art is that none of the known hoists are usable for raising a physically disabled person from a sitting to a standing position, and it is the object of the present invention to provide a device for suspension in suspension means, such as a ceiling track or the like, that has the additional possibility of raising and lowering disabled persons from a sitting to a standing position and vice versa Another object is to provide a simple and robust design of a device for use as a suspension hoist of the initially mentioned kind.
The invention consists of a device of the initially mentioned kind, wherein the frame means comprises a supporting lower frame portion comprising a feet support assembly and a knee support, an upper frame portion comprising the mounting means and means for attaching a sling, and an intermediate frame linkage portion connecting the upper and lower frame portions in such a way that the upper frame portion is vertically moveable in relation to the lower frame portion.
By the invention, a simple, robust and reliable device for use in a hoist is provided which is designed to be operated by suspension means placed above the device. The operation principle is that a patient is placed in the device and is then raised to standing position or vice versa by liftingxe2x80x94respectively loweringxe2x80x94the entire hoist device whereby the relative position of the upper and lower frame portions is altered due to the intermediate frame linkage portion.
A device according to the invention and used in a hoist has the advantage that no internal energy source is needed as the power required for operating the hoist is provided by the power for lifting the hoist and patient. This power is supplied by the suspension means. This results in a wide range of use of a hoist according to the invention. Thus, a device according to the invention can be used together with virtually all types of lifting mechanisms as it is attachable to a lift structure at the top mounting means of the device.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the frame linkage portion comprises at least one H- or U-shaped frame portions comprising a right and a left bar portion. Hereby, the frame means is provided with good stability qualities in the sideways direction. The ends of the right and the left bar portions are preferably joined with the lower and the upper frame portions, respectively. Moreover, the ends of the respective frame portions are preferably provided with universal joints for linking the portions together. Hereby, a flexible and robust connection of the frame portions is established.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the link frame portion is designed as a parallelogram suspension allowing for a parallel movement between the lower frame portion and the upper frame portion. Hereby, a linkage between the upper and lower frame portions is obtained that allows for movement in the vertical direction but is resistant to movements in other directions.
In an embodiment of the invention, the feet support assembly comprises a foot rest plate and support roller means, such as a pair of wheels, disposed at the lowermost end of the lower frame portion for supporting the device. Hereby, the hoist device can be supported at the bottom while it is being moved with or without a person suspended in the hoist.
In a preferred embodiment, the knee support is at least vertically adjustable. Hereby, the device can be accommodated to fit persons of different sizes. Apart from a vertical adjustment, a horizontal adjustment may also be provided.
In a preferred embodiment, the supporting lower frame portion may comprise a left and a right bar portion. The two bar portions could be constituted by a U-shaped frame bar, but could alternatively be two bars in a suitable shape which are mutually assembled by suitable means. The feet support and/or the knee support could preferably be attached between the two bar portions in order to connect the two bars of the lower frame.
The upper frame portion could be provided with hand grips between the top mounting means and the means for attaching a sling. In another embodiment, the hand grips are integrally formed by suitable bending of the upper frame bars. Either way, by this arrangement of the hand grips and the sling attachment, an ergonomically sound position of the patient to be raised and transported is ensured.
Moreover, the top mounting means and/or means for attaching a sling could comprise attachment fittings at the top and the rear side of the upper frame portion, respectively.
In the preferred embodiment, the upper frame portion comprises two side bars. Hereby, a particularly simple design may be provided, and it is realised that the upper frame may comprise two separate parts that are both linked to the linkage frame portion and thereby held together.
The device is suspended from suspension means. These suspension means could typically comprise operating means, including a winch for raising and lowering the hoist and ceiling mounted track means in such a way that the hoist is movable in the track. A device according to the invention may hereby be used in a predetermined track system, such as an already mounted guiding rail, with only minor adaptations.
In another embodiment, the hoist device is suspended from suspension means comprising a lifting lever with means for receiving the top mounting means of the device, said lifting lever being arranged in a vertically moveable manner in a chassis. Hereby, a device according to the invention can be used in connection with a lifting arrangement, such as existing lifting devices, for raising a patient from a sitting to a standing position and vice versa.
The chassis could preferably be provided with support wheels allowing for the hoist to be moved from one location to another while being suspended in the chassis.
In another embodiment of the invention, a hoist is provided with a device for handling a patient, such as raising a patient from a sitting position to a standing position or vice versa, and/or moving the person from one location to another, said device comprising frame means for supporting the patient, said frame means comprising a supporting lower frame portion comprising a feet support assembly and a knee support, an upper frame portion comprising the mounting means and means for attaching a sling, and an intermediate frame linkage portion connecting the upper and lower frame portions in such a way that the upper frame portion is vertically moveable in relation to the lower frame portion, wherein the linkage frame portion in the device could be provided with an actuator, such as a linear or rotary actuator, for raising and lowering of the upper frame in relation to the lower frame.
Hereby, a device according to the invention can be used as a self-standing hoist, since the actuator will be able to supply the necessary movements for raising and lowering of the patient. Moreover, a hoist according to this embodiment of the invention could be provided with a source of energy, so that it can be operated independently of energy sources in e.g. rooms with no electricity. The hoist is preferably provided with wheels under the feet support assembly so that the hoist can be moved.
Furthermore, the invention relates to a method of handling a patient, such as raising a patient from a sitting position to a standing position, using a hoist according to the first aspect of the invention, wherein the upper and lower frame portions of the hoist are displaced in a generally vertical direction in relation to each other by lifting the entire hoist whereby the patient is raised.